Marketing New Zealand through films and the Hobbit trilogy

Tourism New Zealand's marketing strategy is focused
on converting the international attention New Zealand will
draw from starring in the Hobbit trilogy, into travel.

Our campaign work will demonstrate how easy it is for people to
come to New Zealand, see Middle-earth firsthand and experience all
the country has to offer.

The Hobbit trilogy will put New Zealand and its stunning landscapes centre stage for movie lovers world-wide. Above - the Hobbiton movie set

Association with films such as The Hobbit movies also offers New
Zealand a wider opportunity to enhance its international profile as
an innovative and creative nation, and as a great place to make
films and do business.

A number of government agencies are working together to build a
complete story covering the tourism, film, and business sectors,
and leverage the attention that New Zealand is receiving by
"starring" in the films.

Read more about the campaign
100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand.

Impact on tourism

Research completed by the New Zealand Institue of Economic
Research has found that the marketing of New Zealand as
Middle-earth has had a significant and quantifiable impact on
growth in visitor arrivals from Western markets. Read more
here.

Holiday arrivals from the United States, a key target market
for the Middle-earth campaign, are up 12.7 per cent on the
same period last year.

The International Visitor Survey shows
that 13 per cent of all international visitors surveyed July
2013 - June 2014, say The Hobbit was a factor in stimulating their
interest in New Zealand as a destination.

Anecdotal feedback from many overseas markets about the success
of the Lord of the Rings movies also suggests that they made a
significant contribution to raising New Zealand's profile in
several of our key markets.

The International Visitor Survey from 2004,
completed following the release of the Lord of the Rings trilogy,
found that six percent of visitors to New Zealand (around 120,000 -
150,000 people) cite The Lord of the Rings as being one of the main
reasons for visiting New Zealand.

One per cent of visitors said that the Lord of the Rings was
their main or only reason for visiting. This one per cent related
to approximately NZ$32.8m in spend.

In 2004, 63,200 visitors participated in a Lord of the Rings
activity while here.

Since 2004, an average 47,000 visitors each year have visited a
film location.

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